Foam-type extinguisher



Feb. 18, 1930. H 1,747,611

FOAM TYPE EXTINGUISHER Filed July 24. 1925 ,l rW

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 18, 1230 UNEE'EE STATES at caries CLIFFORD B. WHITE, OF UTICA, NEW YORK, -ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

AMERICAN LA FRANCE AND FOAMITE CORZPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FOAIlI-TYPE EXTINGUISHER Application filed July 24, 1925. Serial 'No. 45,729.

This invention relates to foam-type extinguishers of the kind in which the foammaking solutions are delivered from their place of mixing through a pipe or hose and more especially the invention relates to portable extinguishers and its principal object is to improve the quality of the foam produced and the range characteristics of the foam stream. This result has been found to accrue on providing between the outlet for the mingling solutions and the delivery nozzle, preferably at or near the usual outlet elbow, a restriction in the delivery passage, of the order hereinafter disclosed. The invention further includes a certain mutual organizationas hereinafter described of the two separable solution containers for insuring their invariable assembly, in the required relation to each other for producing the intended and proper delivery of solutions to the mixing chamber.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section on line II of Fig. 2, through a wheeled extinguisher of the 40-gallon engine type and to which the invention is especially but not exclusively applicable.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the top of the extinguisher parts broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a similar scale section on line IIII of Fig. 2. 1

In the wheeled engine illustrated, the outer container 1 when in its normal vertical position stands on its base 2. By reason of the location of its handle 3 on one side thereof it is intended to be tipped, and is naturally tipped, toward that side; that is to say, the device is adapted to be tipped in a predetermined direction which is toward the side on which the handle is located. When so tipped it turns on the axis of the wheels 4:, being supported in the usual way on the drop axle 5 by the clamps 6. A transverse partition 7 divides the outer container 1 into a normally upper mixing chamber 8 and a space below the same,the outer part of which space constitutes the container 9 for the basic or B solution, its central part being occupied by the removable acid or A solution container .10. Solution outlets lland 1 t0 the mix ing chamber, from solution containers 9 and 10, respectively, are provided. In the illustrated engine, the B container is provided with an equalizer tube 13 and the A solution container with an equalizer tube 14, said tubes being preferably located in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the outer container. Where the extinguisher tips on a predetermined axis and particularly where its direction of tipping is pre-determined, as above explained, the equalizer tubes should be so located as to be on the upper side of the containers when tipped. It will be seen from Figure 1 that equalizer tube 13 is so located, being fixed in a permanent relation to the outer container in a known way. In order that equalizer tube 14 may also always occupy such relation, a key and keyway or equivalent connection 15 and 16 is provided, the key being illustrated as carried bythe cage extension 17 of the removable inner container while the keyway is made in the neck of the outer container, this being a convenient location though of course not essential. The key and keyway respectivelybear the same relation to the axis of the equalizer tube of the removable container and to the positionthe same is to occupy in assembled relation, so that they can coincide only when the equalizer tube 14 is uppermost on tipping of the extinguisher. The function of the equalizer tubes, as will be understood, is to provide for an equalization of the pressure, between the mixing chamber 8 and the bottoms, (tops, when tipped) of-the two containers; this insures an orderly non-gulping flow of each solution into the mixing chamber. A bevelled ring 19 surrounds and is secured to the inner container 10 at the point where it passes through the opening in the partition 7, the purpose whereof is to make a tight joint at this point so that the flow shall be only through the outlets 11 and 12. A closure cap .20 is screwed as usual on the neck of the outer receptacle and the stopper 21 supported .therein is designed, as usual in large engines, for, manual operation from outside the cap. The outlet from the mixing space 8 is formed by the usual elbow fittlng 22 and is provided with an interior strainer 23, which is desirablethough not necessary for this in vention. To the elbow is connected the usual hose which may be 50 feet inlength more or less as desired and terminates in a nozzle 27 which is shown as a shut-off nozzle but may be an opennozzle if preferred. For a standard 40 gallon engine the passage'through elbow and-hose, or other deliverypip'e, is

. about 1 A; inch-es circular-and for other sizes ofqe'xtinguishers may be substantially injproportion or as customary for such sizes, but 1n accordance with this invention the passage-is. materially restricted at some point -betwe'en the point where the solution first 15.

comes into contact and thepoint where the chemical reaction and expansion are substantially completed, It will be understood that pressure is developed 'by the chemical reaction .of the solutions, which produces the discharge-of both solutions through the deliverypassag'e. This action, though rapid, is not instantaneous and continues while the solutions are passing through the hose, be-

' coming complete at a point several'feet away from'the elbow, but varying with conditions.

' The restriction referred to is placed at some point in the passage between the solution containers and the nozzle,'where thereaction and expansion are still going on and preferablyat the outer endv ofthe elbow, as at 24,-

' where itcan be readilyv exposed by separating thehose or pipe coupling 26. The restriction I for a 40 gallon tankor engine, is represented by a circular hole about one quarter inch long -and inch in diameter, being thus about 16% of the cross-area ,of the full streamway"; for

= other passages it can be correspondingly modified. The restriction produces a marked improvement inthe quality of the foam and in the'range characteristics of the projected foam streamand can be used, if, desired to produce a satisfactory foam with weaker solutions than formerly considered satisfactory. The above described 40-gallon engine when discharged first without, and then with, the restrictiombut otherwise under identical conditions, shows in the first case, the development of a maximum pressure, of say from 50to I lbs., within the first 30 seconds of discharge, which pressure then begins to drop off reaching something like 35 lbs. by

theend of the second minute, whereas in the second case,the restriction being present,

. itshows the same or a somewhat higher maximum pressure inthe first 30 seconds and this pressure continues nearly constant for some two minutes and'does not drop as low as 35 lbs., until -some 30' or 4'0 seconds later. I At the same time the quantity'offoam is'increased, generally by as much or more than 25 per cent. These improved discharge characteristics, referring to the quality, and the dischargepressure as well as the quantity of foam'produced are believed to be'theresult of thorough mixing 'of'th'e solutions, by the restriction, while reacting on eachother in approximately correct proportions and separate from the bulk of theliquids, or in other words, the combined effect of the restriction and a mixingchamber such as the space 8, or any-equivalent mixing, or combining space into which the solutions aredirected in sub stantially constant relative amounts or rates and from which they "pass onward to and through the restriction, still'preserving those proper proportions. The effect seems to be independent "ofthe diameter and also the length of the hose or pipe, which should however be long 'enoughto accommodate within its length the substantially complete chemical reaction'of the solutions; such a hose is ordinarily inuchlonger than the length of M0 gallon extinguishen'as shown. The degree of restriction relative to the average cross area of the rest of the foam passage should preferably be of the order above indicated,

I although some variationis permissible without undue sacrifice of the described char acteristics.

" "I claim:

I 1. A foam-type extinguisher comprising'a space for the mixingof foam making solutions, a fitting constituting an outlet from said space and a hose attached to said fitting,

said fitting having an internaldiameter approximating that of the hose and also having a portion of restricted area,'sa-id portion being of less'length; than diameter;

"2. A foam-type extinguisher {comprising two containers respectively holding foammaking, solutions,.a mixing chamberto which said solutions flow on'olischargel, and a-delivery conduit leading the reacting solutions from said m1x1ng chamber and accommodatand into which the solutions simultaneously flow when the extinguisheris tipped, and a delivery pipe or hose materially longer than saidouter container leadingthe reacting solutions from'said mixing chamber and provided with-a discharge nozzle and also with a restriction nearer to the mixing chamberthan to the nozzle, saidrestriction being of such "area relative to the free'fluidway through said hose as to improve the discharge. characteristics of the foam delivery.

' 4, The combination ofa tipping engine comprising outer and inner containers of foam-making solutions brought into mix-' "ing contact on inversion ofthe extinguisher,

foam-type and a delivery conduit including a hose materially longer than said outer container leading the reacting solutions from the place of such mixing to a foam discharge nozzle, the free fiuidway of said passage being about 1 4 inch diameter and having a restriction of about one-half inch diameter located therein nearer to said place of mixing than to the nozzle, said restriction serving by its presence in said passage to improve the quality of the foam discharged from the nozzle.

5. A foam type extinguisher engine mounted to tip on a predetermined axis and in a predetermined direction and having an outer solution containerhaving a filling opening in one end, a cross-partition in said container dividing off therefrom at the filling end a mixing chamber, an inner solution container of suitable size for holding a solution capable of combining with the solution of the other container to convert all of both solutions into foam and occupying an opening in the crosspartition opposite the said filling opening, a pressure equalizer tube in said inner container, said inner container having a cross sectional shape requiring it to occupy an invariable relation in the extinguisher with the equalizer tube always on top when the engine is tipped in the predetermined direction on its predetermined axis, each of said containers having an outlet to the mixing chamber, said inner container being insertable and removable through said filling opening and through the opening in said partition and said cross-partition being adapted to laterally support and guide the inner container while in process of insertion it is being located in the prescribed relation.

6. A tipping foam-type extinguisher comprising inner and outer solution containers for foam-making solutions, a-mixing chamber or space into which the solutions enter at substantially constant relative rates, an elbow receiving the reacting solutions from said space and a hose conducting the same to the point of discharge, said elbow having a transverse wall intercepting the flow therethrough and forming a restriction of such relative cross area compared to the free fluid way through said elbow and hose that its presence therein improves the discharge characteristics of the foam delivery.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

CLIFFORD B. WHITE. 

